Buying a TV these days is a lot more complicated than it was a decade ago. Right from the size of the screen to the quality of the panel, smart features, app support and the number of HDMI ports, the checklist is enormous. Thankfully, the fast-maturing Indian television market has enough options available to keep most people happy, and into this steady evolution comes LeEco with their Super TVs, offering a blend of high-end specs and the company’s ‘ecosystem’ philosophy to the price-conscious Indian customer.
The first thing to address is that LeEco definitely didn’t skimp in the size department. Of the company’s three offerings in India, the smallest is 55 inches, followed by the middle 65-inch variant, and the premium version of the same size with 3D capability, with all three equipped with 4K screens.
Design-wise, there isn’t much to tell them apart. The middle Super3 X65 variant we tested has a super-slim profile, save for the bulge at the bottom where it houses its ports, and a stand designed to resemble a wave.
The stand is a little incongruous with the otherwise sharp design, but it is easy enough to assemble and get used to. The TV comes with the full host of connectivity options, with composite and component inputs, three USB and three HDMI ports (one ARC-enabled and the other MHL-capable, meaning connecting external soundbars and mobile devices is a simple affair). If wires are not your thing, the X65 also comes with dual-band WiFi, allowing it to connect to a home network and stream content. The TV also comes with a Bluetooth-powered Super Remote, which first pairs with the TV using a button inexplicably hidden inside the battery compartment. The buttons are few, with navigation keys, a Le shortcut button, settings and buttons dedicated to screenshots and microphone for voice commands being the noteworthy ones. Voice recognition is currently limited to Mandarin, and pressing the mic button displays a message that says the feature is still in development.
The X65 is powered by a 32-bit Cortex A-17 1.4 GHz CPU, with a Mali T-760 GPU handling the video department. The TV comes with 16 GB of inbuilt memory and 3 GB of RAM.
Before moving on to the picture, a word on the software. The X65 is an Android TV, sort of. It has access to an app store of content curated by LeEco, where you can find apps like YouTube, Firefox, Musixmatch TV, Twitch and some file managers. No Netflix or other popular streaming services here. The EUI allows for sideloading Android apps, but getting any Google-based service to work is tough, and we had very limited success with sketchy stability.
The X65 uses a traditional LED panel, and the picture quality, provided the source signal is worthy of its 4K screen, is quite good. Colours are vibrant and well-represented, though they lack the outright punch of some competing panels.
The TV handled mp4 files perfectly, though the mkv format gave it some trouble. Despite the refresh rate being 60Hz (the higher-end Max65 runs 120Hz), the panel does take away cinematic effect somewhat, though a quick run through image modes (there are modes dedicated to movies and games) fixes the problem.
The panel is impressively bright, and black levels are quite decent, though not incredible. There is some minor light bleed from the edges, which does not hamper the viewing experience.
LeEco has a powerful entertainment ecosystem, and while we were not impressed with the company trying to shove their media content down the throats of smartphone buyers, these services are at home on the big screen. The X65 comes bundled with subscriptions to YuppTV and Eros Now through the Live and LeVidi apps, allowing users to watch some television content and a handy selection of Hindi movies without a cable connection. Options are limited, with South Indian channels and English news dominating the channel list, but this could change in the future.
The biggest problem the X65 contends with is its own resolution. The TV channels it streams pixelate and struggle on the 4K panel, failing to showcase its strengths. The movies on the LeVidi feed fare much better, and while 4K gaming is an attractive option, few can afford it at the moment.
Priced at Rs. 99,790, with two-year membership to subscription plans, a two-year warranty for the device and four years for the panel, the X65 makes a strong statement in the 4K crowd. With a few updates to the content library, this TV should be on the wishlist of anyone looking for a massive 4K TV in this price range.
